April 2021
Featured in this insight: Education, IT & telecommunications
Coding revealed to be top skill learned during Covid-19 lockdowns: According to the results of a recent poll, more than half the people who were looking to upskill during the pandemic, chose coding (or other software developing) in a bid to improve their employment and career opportunities.
The research was conducted by open-source company, Red Hat, which polled 31,100 adults across Europe. It found that more than half the people polled (51%) said they had picked up a new skill during the pandemic, with one in 20 adults taking up coding, which was the top skill learned.
Respondents were asked why they wanted to learn a new skill, with 30% revealing they were motivated by the opportunity to advance in their careers.
The research found that more than three-quarters of the people polled (79%) did not come from a technology background, but were hoping to increase the opportunities they might have in moving to a digital role. It also revealed that 71% of the people learning to code did not have a STEM degree. Almost half (49%) the participants polled said they worked full-time while learning to code on the side, while 10% worked part-time and 11% were unemployed.
Looking at the UK, 4% of the 11,000 respondents polled said they took up coding during the pandemic, with 68% saying they were doing so in order to find work or reskill for a new career.
Top five skills taken up in UK
After coding or software development (68%), UK respondents took up graphic design (62%), while the same percentage undertook leadership or management courses (62%). Other areas in which UK respondents reported upskilling were academic courses (58%) and first aid training (56%).
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